Vs. Cranidos
Vs. Cranidos is the first episode of the second season of Pokémon Tales: Dawn. It aired 8/1/2017. Story Ian, Piplup, Crystal, Conway and Dawn arrive in Oreburgh City, Ian swiftly passing through the mining town. Dawn: Where are you off to in such a hurry? It is pertinent to relax after a long day of traveling. Ian: Go ahead. I’m heading to the gym. Conway: He’s always like this. Get into the city, challenge the gym. Crystal: Isn’t that good though? This way we can get on the road faster for your contest! Dawn: You mistake my desire to compete with not wanting to go at a leisurely pace. The group arrives at the Oreburgh gym, them going inside. The referee is walking by, him having long green hair and wearing a tan shirt and sweats. He stops to talk with the group. Referee: Hello, travelers. I assume you are here to challenge the gym leader? Ian: Yes. My name is Ian. Referee: Nice name. Either way, you’re going to have to wait. Roark is just about to take on a challenger, so he won’t be able to battle you till tomorrow. Dawn: Ah! Tomorrow! See? Rushing forward doesn’t always give you results. Ian: Can we watch the gym battle? Referee: You’ll have to check with Roark. Follow me. The Referee walks down the hall towards the field, Ian following. Dawn groans in despair as the rest of them follow. They arrive inside, with Roark standing at one end of a rocky field. Roark: Ah! Ian! You ready to go? Ian: Huh? Referee Ian: Yes sir! Got another challenger for you! Another fella named Ian! Roark: Two challengers in one day? Talk about popularity! Referee Ian: He wanted to watch your battle! Roark: I’m fine with that. What do you think, Paul? Ian gasps, looking at the other end of the field. Paul is standing at the other end, Ian taking on a harsh expression to match Paul’s. Paul: Makes no difference to me. Roark: Alright! Go ahead and have a seat, other Ian! Ian stares Paul down as he goes to take a seat in the bleachers. Crystal, Conway and Dawn follow him. Conway: That Paul guy again. This will be good research. Dawn: Research? Conway: He ignites a strong response in Ian. And the way that Ian forms his opinion about a trainer is how they battle. Watching this battle will let me better understand why Ian has such a hostile response towards him. Crystal: I assume it’s because of that Chimchar of his. Paul seemed to treat it with no respect! Conway: Perhaps. Let us watch and see. I know that’s what Ian’s doing. Ian sits with his arms crossed and his leg crossed over his knee. Referee Ian takes his place. Referee Ian: This will be a three on three battle! The winner will be the trainer with Pokémon still able to continue! Also, only the challenger may make substitutions! Roark: Alright! My first choice, is Bonsly! Roark throws a Pokéball, choosing Bonsly. Bonsly: Bonsly! Dawn: Aw! What an adorable Grass type! Ian: It’s a Rock type. Dawn: Pardon me?! It is obviously a tree. Conway: Bonsly have a more rocky exterior, and looks like a tree to disguise itself. Paul: Chimchar, stand by for battle! Paul throws the Pokéball, choosing Chimchar. Chimchar is cheerful. Chimchar: Chimchar! Dawn: Chimchar?! But if Bonsly’s a Rock type, then wouldn’t it be weak in this scenario? Crystal: Maybe he doesn’t know its type. Conway: No. I have a feeling he knows exactly what he’s doing. Paul: Chimchar, use Brick Break! Chimchar: (Serious) Chim! Chimchar leaps forward, hand glowing white to go for a karate chop. Roark: Not good enough! Bonsly, use Copycat! Bonsly is surrounded in a brown aura, as it leaps into the air to match Chimchar. The top of its head glows white, as they both swing their attacks. Bonsly’s Brick Break pushes through, hitting Chimchar hard and knocking it down. Bonsly lands on its feet, looking smug. Roark: Now use Rock Tomb! Bonsly’s top moves, forming a large boulder by it like it is a hand. Bonsly pushes the boulder and throws the Rock Tomb as Chimchar starts to get up. Paul: Brick Break! Chimchar jumps up and strikes Rock Tomb with Brick Break, splitting the Rock Tomb clean in half. Crystal: Wow! That’s strong! Roark: Now Bonsly! Hit it with Double Edge! Bonsly glows with a white aura around it, it charging fast. It leaps into the air, ramming Chimchar in the stomach head first. Chimchar loses its breath as it falls back, crashing into the rocky field. Bonsly lands on its feet, suffering no recoil damage. Paul watches Chimchar struggle to get up, watching as if disappointed. Paul: Get up already. Chimchar: (Weakly) Chim. Chimchar glows with a red aura, as its expression becomes formidable. Chimchar stands up, holding its arms up in a flexed pose, the aura breaking. Conway: It activated its ability Blaze. That’ll increase the power of its Fire attacks. Crystal: Doesn’t seem helpful since those attacks won’t be very effective. Paul: (Smirks) I’ve been waiting for that. Chimchar, use Flame Wheel! Chimchar runs forward, the flame on its tail extending out to form a large Flame Wheel around itself. Ian puts his foot down and leans forward, elbows resting on his legs and hands under his chin. Roark: Not sure what you’re going for there, but I’ll stop you! Bonsly, use Double Edge! Bonsly charges forward, the two attacks colliding. They are both pushed back, Bonsly suffering from a burn. Roark: A burn?! Paul: Finish it with Brick Break! Roark: Copycat! Chimchar charges in, as the two clash with Brick Break. Chimchar breaks through, Bonsly hitting the ground defeated. Referee Ian: Bonsly is unable to battle! The winner is Chimchar! Chimchar is panting heavily, smiling back at Paul. Paul doesn’t return the smile, as Chimchar looks ashamed and turns away. Conway: Impressive. He used Blaze to power up Flame Wheel, in order to cause a burn. Burns lower Attack power, so Chimchar would be able to overpower it afterwards. A risky strategy though. Roark: (Returning Bonsly) Alright. That was the first battle. But now, it’s go time! Probopass! Roark throws his Pokéball, choosing Probopass. Probopass: Probo. (Ian scans it.) Pokédex: Probopass, the Compass Pokémon and the evolved form of Nosepass. It exudes strong magnetism from all over. It controls three small units called Mini-Noses. Conway: Nosepass can evolve?! Paul: Flame Wheel! Roark: Magnet Bomb! Probopass’ nose glows with silver energy. It releases a magnetic pulse wave, it striking Chimchar and exploding to blast Chimchar back. Roark: Now Rock Throw! Probopass’ mini noses point at Chimchar, them flashing with white energy as rocks circle around them. They fire several jagged rocks at Chimchar, it taking the attacks as it stands up. Chimchar is blasted back, defeated. Referee Ian: Chimchar is unable to battle! The winner is Probopass! Paul returns Chimchar, his face scrunching up. Paul: (In a puff of air) Worthless. Ian tenses up, as Conway tilts his glasses in analysis. Crystal and Dawn don’t seem to have caught Paul’s comment. Paul draws a new Pokéball. Paul: Fearow. Standby for battle! The Pokéball opens, choosing Fearow. Fearow: Fearow! Crystal: Fearow?! But that’s a Flying type! Conway: He was interested in catching it before. Let’s see what he’s got. Paul: Drill Run! Fearow’s beak is surrounded in a brown bird aura, as it spins like a drill at Probopass. Roark: Deflect it with Magnet Bomb! Then fire Discharge! Probopass releases Magnet Bomb, it colliding with Drill Run. Fearow’s attack stops, as Probopass fire several streams of blue electricity from its nose. Fearow takes it and screeches in pain. Paul: Drill Run! Fearow uses Drill Run again, striking Probopass and it falling to the ground. Fearow arcs around, going for Drill Run again. Roark: Rock Throw! The mini noses point up to the sky at Fearow, firing Rock Throw. Drill Run deflects the Rock Throw, and strikes Probopass again. Probopass drops to the ground defeated. Referee Ian: Probopass is unable to battle! The winner is Fearow! Roark returns Probopass, sighing. Roark: Whew! A Flying type beating my Rock type. Not bad. But now we’re getting serious. Come out Cranidos! Roark throws a Pokéball, choosing Cranidos. Cranidos: Crani! (Ian scans it.) Pokédex: Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokémon. It lived in jungles around 100 million years ago. Its skull is as hard as iron. Paul: Drill Run! Roark: Headbutt! Fearow spins with Drill Run, as Cranidos ducks underneath it. Cranidos leaps up and Headbutts Fearow in the gut, it shooting up. Cranidos lands and swiftly jumps again, striking again. Fearow falls down, defeated. Referee Ian: Fearow is unable to battle! The winner is Cranidos. Paul holds up Fearow’s Pokéball, returning it. Paul draws a new Pokéball, throwing it. Swinub comes out. Swinub: Swi! Roark: Another odd matchup! You’re using this as a training session, aren’t you? Paul: Only if it works. Roark: Then let’s start with a game changer! Cranidos, use Flamethrower! Paul: Mud Bomb! Cranidos breathes Flamethrower, as Swinub spits a Mud Bomb, the attacks canceling each other out. Cranidos barrels forward for Headbutt. Paul: Ice Shard! Swinub forms a light blue energy sphere, which turns into a piece of jagged ice. It shoots forward at a speed to match Cranidos’, crashing into its head. Cranidos stops its charge, shaking its head. Swinub charges forward, ramming Cranidos’ stomach with Take Down. Paul: Mud Bomb! Swinub blasts Cranidos with Mud Bomb at close range, Cranidos skidding far back along the field. Cranidos begins stomping the ground, its frustration and determination growing. Cranidos: CRANI! Cranidos’ head is surrounded by a large whitish-blue aura, which flows down to cover its whole body. Roark exclaims in excitement. Roark: Awesome! Cranidos learned Head Smash! Paul: Head Smash?! Crystal: (Leaning forward) What’s that?! Conway: Head Smash. One of the strongest Rock type attacks out there. Dawn: In a gym battle?! Roark: Go Cranidos! Head Smash! Paul: Mud Bomb! Cranidos charges forward, as Swinub spits repeated Mud Bombs. Mud Bomb crashes into Head Smash, though Cranidos plows through them. Cranidos veers off to its left, passing Swinub on its right side, the energy scraping Swinub from the side. Cranidos continues and crashes into a boulder, it being desolated. Swinub groans in pain, its entire right side scraped up. Cranidos stands, suffering from recoil damage. Dawn: (In disbelief) That kind of move is allowed in a gym battle?! Conway: (Amazed) If that attack had connected there, Swinub would’ve been defeated straight away! Paul: Ice Shard! Swinub fires an Ice Shard, it crashing into Cranidos. Cranidos gets riled up, looking around for the source. Its eyes are gunked up with mud, limiting its vision. Crystal: It can’t see? Conway: Mud Bomb lowers accuracy. That’s why that Head Smash missed before. Roark: Listen for Swinub’s location and hit it with Headbutt! Cranidos closes its eyes, listening. Cranidos then barrels straight at Swinub. Paul: Mud Bomb! Swinub fires a Mud Bomb, striking and exploding on Cranidos. Cranidos skids on its stomach towards Swinub, lying defeated. Referee Ian: Cranidos is unable to battle! The winner is Swinub and the victor is Paul! Paul returns Swinub, as Roark returns Cranidos. Roark: That was an excellent battle, Cranidos. Take a long rest. Roark and Paul meet around the field, back towards the exit. Roark: That was a good battle. I’m proud to present to you the Coal Badge. I would suggest that you not engage in as many risky techniques, though. Roark hands out the Coal Badge, as Paul takes it. Paul: Thank you, Roark. I will take it under consideration. Paul begins to walk out down the hallway, when Ian is in his way. Ian: I watched your battle. Common curtesy states you watch mine. Come back tomorrow. Paul: Tsk! Whatever. Paul brushes past Ian, the two not meeting gazes. Paul keeps walking, as Ian approaches Roark. Ian: Roark. I look forward to our battle tomorrow. Roark: As do I. I can tell I’m about to fight another powerful trainer. Main Events * Paul battles Roark and wins, earning the Coal Badge. * Paul's Chimchar reveals it knows Brick Break. * Paul's Fearow reveals it knows Drill Run. * Paul's Swinub reveals it knows Ice Shard. Characters * Paul (main character) * Roark * Ian * Crystal * Conway * Dawn Berlitz * Referee Ian Pokémon * Chimchar (Paul's) * Fearow (Paul's) * Swinub (Paul's) * Bonsly (Roark's) * Probopass (Roark's) * Cranidos (Roark's) * Piplup (Ian's) Trivia * This is the first episode where a rival character is the main focus of the episode, as well as the first time that the entirety of a rival's gym battle is seen. ** Hugh was the first rival to be shown battling a gym leader in The New Digital Era, but only the end was shown. ** Paul is the second rival character shown earning a badge after Hugh, and the first in the main series. * I was originally going to swap Referee Ian out with a generic referee, to avoid confusion. I kept him in as a joke. * This battle was originally going to be a two-on-two battle, with Probopass originally not going to appear. This was changed due to wanting Wyatt's gym battle to be a three-on-three, and it not making sense to not have the rules be the same. * Chimchar and Swinub were both originally going to reveal Dig and Rock Smash, respectively, instead of Brick Break and Ice Shard. The changes were made due to the TM change in Gen VII. * This episode starts Conway learning of and researching evolutions between different generations of Pokémon. Many of the methods he will uncover will either be not researched at all or have very little evidence backing it up. Category:Episodes Category:Pokémon Tales Category:Pokémon Tales: Dawn Category:Pokémon Tales: Gym Leader battles Category:Pokémon Tales: Paul arc Category:Pokémon Tales: Evolution Research arc Category:Pokémon Tales: Sinnoh gym leader battles